World's Largest Private Laser System Launched

Nuclear fusion startup Xcimer Energy announced on Wednesday the launch of its Phoenix laser system. Company representatives state that this device is the largest private laser in the world. The Xcimer project is based on experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), which proved in 2022 that a controlled fusion reaction can yield more energy than is consumed. Techcrunch.com reports on this. reports .

NIF technology works by directing 192 laser beams onto a small fuel target. The laser energy compresses the target, causing atoms to fuse and release energy. Xcimer aims to adapt this concept for commercial use using more powerful and simpler lasers. According to the company's plan, two laser systems delivering microsecond pulses will compress the fuel in nanoseconds.

The Phoenix system is a significant step toward a future power plant. It utilizes excimer amplification technology used in semiconductor manufacturing but at much higher power levels. At full capacity, this krypton fluoride laser generates 1 kilojoule of energy and has a 38-meter-long core. While this is a record for the private sector, a commercial plant requires over 12 megajoules of power.

Xcimer Energy plans to complete a prototype by 2028 and build its first commercial fusion power plant by the mid-2030s. If successfully implemented, this technology could provide humanity with a nearly limitless and clean energy source.